I really didn't think this was going to happen...
I sat by and watched with raised eyebrows as everyone else fell over themselves over it...
I scoffed at the idea of it. I did. I mean what does it have that I can't get from scrubs, or any other doctor show?
And then it showed up on Netflix Instant and I thought, "well... a couple years have passed... I might as well just see what all the fuss is about... just the pilot can't hurt."
But of course it's impossible to watch just the pilot of most shows.
And now here I am, 2 seasons in and knees deep in drama and romance and surgeries and actual feelings about these characters.
Oh, Grey's Anatomy. You really are like crack for hopeless romantic women. I should have listened all along.
At least now I get to watch all six seasons sans commercials and waiting periods! Stubbornness does pay off sometimes.
So anyways, yeah. That's my life now. Grey's Anatomy, Buffy when Stewie's around, studying for finals, and going to the gym. Pretty much don't do anything else. yay new tv obsessions! productivity at it's greatest.
Watching episode after epiode of Grey's has led me to a realization, though: I'm obsessed with those slow, acoustic-y melancholy songs television shows play as they show those heart-string-tugging montages of disappointed main character faces and whatnot. You know what I'm talking about. Songs like these:
Yeah. I just lap that stuff up.
So... just thought I'd check in and let you know what's been keeping me from blogging the last few days :) time to go back to grey's now, before I die of lack of cutely nicknamed hot doctors.
This is going to be quick, cause it's early on thursday morning (fail) and i'm not feeling too hot (ow). I'm just going to throw a few links at you that I know are amazing and absolutely delicious because I served 'em up for my very first official brunch, which happened to coincide with easter.
My parents were here all last weekend and I convinced them that it was a good idea for them to let me prepare our easter brunch. We're not a particularly religious family but we still like to celebrate the major holidays :) anyways, they agreed to pick up some bagels and I assured them that I would arrange everything else... and honestly, it couldn't have gone better! I am sure that my future adult life will be filled with many wonderful brunches.
On to the recipes. I've got pics of my own, but here are the pics from the recipes i got. Did I mention that this was an extremely smitten kitchen-y brunch? well is was. If anyone knows how to do brunch right, it's deb. Am i right?
I also made an absolutely divine baked egg dish which was made up of wonderfully creamed spinach and mushrooms. So divine. I feel almost sacrilegious saying this but mine was way prettier.
The last of my smitten kitchen recipes was these lovely and oh-so-delicious mustard roasted potatoes. so, so good for any time of day.
As I said before, more about my actual easter brunch later... happy, erm, thursday, have a wonderful weekend all! stay well and happy!
man, i guess this is just one of those weeks. I had an absolutely wonderful holiday weekend with my parents (more about that later) and then on monday woke up with an annoyingly painful tonsil the size of texas and a bit of a headache. I decided to use that day as my day off of the week from working out, but on tuesday I woke up feeling even worse. Around 8 pm I decided to go to the gym anyways in the hopes of sweating out whatever is ailing me, but after 20 minutes on the ellipticals I began to feel nauseous, dizzy, headache-y and shakey. I know what it feels like to push myself to the limits while I'm working out, and I know what it feels like to pass out/almost pass out, and this was definitely the latter. I got of the machine and sat down to avoid the whole tunnel-vision gonna-throw-up, oh-geez-now-I'm-waking-up-on-the-floor-of-the-gym thing, and after a couple minutes of regaining visual clarity I decided it was absolutely necessary that I get out of that gym stat. For the rest of the night I had a splitting headache, super sore throat, nausea, the works. Totally, totally sucky! This cold thing really just sprung up on me out of no where... although it probably wasn't helped by the fact that I've been living off of easter brunch leftovers since sunday in order to avoid grocery shopping (me=poor).
I'm going to brave the gym again tonight and see if I feel any better, but this whole illness thing has really thrown me off and I seem to be a day behind this week, hence the movie monday on tuesday and a tasty tuesday later today (wednesday). Hopefully I'll be back on schedule by the weekend, and then I've got 3 tests in a row to look forward to and then 5 days of blissful nothingness before I complete the last third of my french final on the 9th. really looking forward to summer and all the craziness and fun it will bring!
Anyways, I just wanted to check in and give you guys my boring tale of illness. Tasty tuesday later today, maybe a vloggin' vednesday if i feel up to it, and plenty more fun in the next few days.
On Sunday afternoon I decided to do something that I knew would be very, very bad for me. I decided to watch the pilot of Grey's Anatomy since the whole series is now on Netflix Instant. Of course, after the pilot I had to watch the second episode, and then the third, and the fourth... and then before I knew it it was monday evening and I had finished the first season, much to stewie's dismay. See, all this Grey's Anatomy time cut into our Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel time. It also cut into homework and blogging time. I have a feeling this first month of summer that's about to start is going to be full of lots of cooking and hot doctor shows.
anyways, that means yet another late movie monday, but oh well! it was worth it :)
This is really an amazing movie, and it really deserves that academy award for visual effects. I mean, the story is great as well but it was the sheer beauty of this film that really captured me. absolutely stunning.
It is about a man named Chris and his wife and soulmate Annie. Their lives seem perfect until one day when they lose both of their children in a car accident. This sets of a chain of events that almost threatens to ruin their relationship, but they manage to pull through. However, several years later, Chris dies in a terrible accident. For a while his spirit lingers on earth and he attempts to contact his grieving and deeply depressed wife, but he soon realizes that this is only harming her more and he moves on.
Chris awakens in another reality, which is often described as heaven. It's not an up-in-the-clouds angels-flying-around-with-harps kind of heaven, though... it is a world completely made up by chris- and, seemingly, of paint. It is amazingly beautiful and Chris finds that he is joined by his old dog and a friend and mentor he had known during his medical residency named Albert. Albert helps Chris become accustomed to his new world and shows him how to make everything real (rather than made up of paint).
It becomes clear that Annie and Chris truly are soulmates, as her paintings begin to be reflected in Chris' reality. Sadly, Annie eventually gives up and commits suicide. According to Albert, those who commit suicides tend to create "anti-fantasies" based on their pain, and thus their post-death realities are hell-like. Chris vows that he will voyage to this hell dimension and save his wife, despite the warnings from Albert that no one has ever succeeded at such a task.
There's all kinds of crazy stuff that happens, and people masquerading as other people and then revealing themselves... it's a really interesting movie about love and death and grief and soulmates. And it's so gosh darn pretty! beautiful bluish purples (my favorite color) are everywhere in this film.
This is by no means a light film, but one you should watch at some point for sure, if only because it stars Robin Williams in a rare but beautifully pulled off dramatic role.
this is the "studio trailer" which isn't so much a trailer but more of just clips of some of the prettiest/most interesting images in the movie. Surprisingly I couldn't find an actual trailer! oh well :)
It's no secret that food is a big issue in this country. some people eat way too much of it, other don't eat nearly enough... and pretty much all of us could probably benefit by making some changes. Not that the american food industry (or the food and drug association) makes it easy for us. There billions of chemicals and other crap that the conglomerates stick in our food- where they definitely don't belong. All kinds of synthetic "food" that has been designed to cut costs and in the process has cut out nutrition entirely. Oh, capitalism.
So how can we know what we're eating? How can we know how much is enough? and how can we truly enjoy our food- wholesome food- instead of mindlessly shoving fistfuls into our faces? I've compiled this little list to help us all to do just that.
1. Listen to your body. I've preached this all across this blog, but that doesn't mean I'm not gonna stick it on this list, because it is SO IMPORTANT. When you have a headache, a stomachache, cramps, fatigue, heartburn, stress, anger, illness... don't just write it off as bad luck or something that's unavoidable and pop a pill. Your body doesn't just randomly have headaches. You shouldn't always feel stressed out or tired. Unless you have a diagnosed illness that causes these things, the chances are that these symptoms are your body's way of telling you that you aren't feeding it right. You get heartburn after eating fatty foods. Eating too much gives you stomach cramps. Eating too much sugar can cause you to feel lethargic. Let me break it down for you. Your body=a machine. food=fuel. bad fuel=malfunctioning machine. Would you put mud in your car instead of gasoline and then be flabbergasted at why it's not working? I didn't think so.
2. Eat Food. This is one of my favorite tips from the book Food Rules. Sounds simple right? but so few people actually follow it. Food is food. food is not chemicals. If you look at the ingredients on something, find a word you don't know, and a quick google search shows you anything other than it came out of the ground or was raised by a farmer, it ain't food baby- so don't eat it. You will save soooo many empty calories and feel way more full if you stick to the good stuff!
3. Plan your meals, and avoid snacking. For me, I like to have a small breakfast (can't do much food in the morning), an even smaller snack around 10, a medium-small lunch (I really love bento boxes and macro plates- healthy and so much variety!) a really small snack around 4, and then a medium dinner. Some day (most days now since I've been sleeping late and have been so busy) I skip the snacks, but I keep the meal sizes the same. This plan works because it keeps your body constantly metabolizing small bits of food, so your overall metabolism rises. But you've really got to plan it- before you go grocery shopping, think about what you're going to have every day for snacks and meals- that way you wont be stopping at a fast food restaurant or convenience market with the excuse that there's nothing in the fridge.
4. Drink water. And then drink more water. And then just for good measure drink some more. People are afraid of water because of the term "water-weight". Well. water-weight is better than food-weight in my opinion. Water weight is gone after a couple trips to the gym. Anyways, I drink water like it's going out of style. You should be getting at least 64 oz a day, more once it gets hot out. Not only is water GREAT for you (clear eyes, rosy cheeks, supple skin), it's a great way to fend off hunger. I'd say at least 50% of the time I think I'm hungry I'm actually just thirsty. You see, the signals get mixed up inside our brains and thirst and hunger often come across as the same feeling. So, next time you feel like you need to snack, just reach for your water bottle. Chances are your cravings will be significantly diminished.
5. Learn to cook and experiment with eliminating things like oil, sugar, dairy, and meat. Today I cooked a completely fat free chow mein by using a few tbsp of water to sautee my veggies instead of my usual canola oil. Tasted the same, only maybe fresher because the veggies had a crispness that oil just doesn't allow. You can sub things like sugar free applesauce or agave nectar for a lot of things that call for sugar... and I'm not telling you not to eat dairy or meat but there are some really delicious vegan/vegetarian dishes out there. Cooking your own food makes the experience fun, and you know for sure exactly what you're putting into your body.
6. Tell your eyes to suck it. They no longer get to be bigger than your stomach. Serve your own food (this is easy if you're the one cooking it!), and when you do serve significantly less that you think you're actually going to eat. I'd say about half as much. When you're done eating, wait 15 minutes, and if youre really really still starving after that, then serve yourself a second, even smaller portion. We've all got this "i've got to finish everything on my plate" complex, and serving ourselves monstrous portions isn't doing anything for our health- or our figures. Also, it takes about 20 minutes for a minds to connect with our stomachs and start signaling to us that we're full... so if you don't stop eating until you're full that's 20 minutes too late! And 20 minutes from then you're going to feel it. Give your brain time to send you the signal... it's unlikely that a second helping will even be necessary.
7. Shrink your stomach. After years of eating until we're full instead of eating small portions and waiting to feel full, our stomachs have all been stretched out. In order to eat less and still feel satisfied, it's helpful to do something that will shrink your stomach back to its original size-of-your-fist self. In my opinion the most effective way to do this is the fast for 1-2 days by eating only fresh fruits and veggies or drinking only fresh fruit and veggie juice (along with water of course) throughout the day. It can also be done just by switching from large portions to small portions.
8. Make food an experience. Who doesn't love to eat, right? So if food is so great, why do we feel like we need to preoccupy ourselves with something else while we eat it? In many countries in Europe, dinner can go on for hours and hours, as small course upon small course is savored and shared. When you're watching tv, driving, doing homework, or surfing the internet you aren't concentrating on the food, so it's pretty likely you're just eating mindlessly. When you finish whatever you were eating, you won't really have enjoyed it because you weren't paying attention to it! Sit down to eat. Eat with friends and family. Eat small bites. "drink your food and chew your drink", as they say- meaning, chew your food long enough that its practically liquid and swirl your drink around in your mouth so you can really taste it. Savor and enjoy each and every bite... it will both help you to eat slowly and make eating way more enjoyable!
9. Eat slowly. Like I just said, savoring each bite will help you do this. It's so important. Put your fork down between each bite. Don't be constantly eating. Take a few moments to take in your surroundings or listen attentively to what the person you are with is saying. The slower you eat, the less you will eat by the time your mind sends you the I'm Full signal. Even if you end up eating the same amount, at least the enjoyable experience (the eating of the food) lasted longer.
10. Get invested. I think about food like, a million times a day. And then I think about going to the gym another million times. I'm so excited and passionate about keeping my body healthy and strong and beautiful! Make food and health important in your life, or all of this rules mamby pamby crap will just bum you out. Learn more. Research. Find out the facts about sugar and dairy and meat and the chemicals that are in so much of our food. Get passionate about creating healthy meals. Get excited over the happy healthy full feeling your body give you when you eat fresh food slowly and in small amounts! All of this stuff works, I use it every day. I guarantee you will feel loads and loads better. But, it's really up to you to want to make the difference and find something about health and food that makes you excited. Have fun and good luck!
thursday nights are so blissful. Thursday days are one of my most busy of the week (aside from wednesdays... *shudder*), so when I'm finally done with class and get to return home knowing that I can just eat dinner, go to the gym, and relax/do whatever I want all night it's the best feeling ever. Often on Thursdays stewart has a bit of a boys night thing over at one of our friends' houses... which I'm totally invited to, and totally not interested in ;) so I usually just soak up the me time. I love living with stew and spending almost every minute with him outside of school, but these small breaks from each other are definitely healthy and appreciated. It gives me the opportunity to sing loudly to songs I would never dare play around him, or anyone else for that matter (ahem, katy perry...don't judge me. i already do it enough for the both of us.) and it gives him the opportunity to go all super nerded out. And then at the end of the night we're both refreshed and relaxed and ready to get our buffy the vampire slayer on. Oh yes, we are the epitome of livin' large :)
Anyways, I wanted to write a post about negativity but I just got back from the gym where I spent 45 minutes on the elliptical followed with arms and shoulders weights workouts (the hardest in my opinion... my upper body strength is nil) so quite frankly I'm exhausted. And I want that post to be, yknow, at least semi thought out. unlike this one.
SO, I just wanted to say hi, and wish you an early happy weekend- my parents are coming to visit this weekend and I am so stoked!! I probably wont be blogging much though since I'll be too busy having epically good times with the fam. stayed tuned for lots more posts next week including the 2nd half of my 10 things I learned in my teens! Love you all, have a safe and fun holiday weekend.
This blog has been spring, spring, spring lately! hope you guys aren't sick of it yet ;) luckily, this post is less about spring and more about summer! I'm all pumped to hit the gym even harder than I usually do and really shape up for bikini season. I'm going to the salt river with Stew and his bro Brian on May 7th as an early bday celebration, and so I want to be ready!
Here is the basic fitness plan I already follow. You can find a more detailed post here.
-30 minutes cardio 6 days a week, alternating treadmills and ellipticals. I'm averaging 2.25 miles on the treadmill and 3 miles on the ellipticals.
- arms and shoulders weights twice a week
-chest and back weights twice a week
-legs weights/exercises twice a week
-abs exercises 3 times a week
I also occasionally bike to school, although since stew has gotten his license back I've been doing less of that.
In the coming weeks the changes I'm going to make are:
-abs 6 days a week, rather than every other day
-1 or 2 additional leg exercises that especially focus on the backside ;)
-1 or 2 love handle workouts in addition to the chest and back workouts I do
-45 minutes of cardio 6 days a week
-hopefully 1 hike or other outdoor recreational activity a week.
I've also been slacking a bit on the diet front, going out for dinner waaay too much. I blame it on how busy my end of the semester schedule is! Get home from discussion section at 7 o clock and make dinner for two and then go to the gym and do homework? um, no. But all that has got to change! Feel free to join me with a couple of these- you'll feel spectacular!
-no alcohol. this shouldn't be too hard because I'm not the heaviest drinker as is. It just means more sober driving and less relying on stewie... and less buffy the vampire slayer/screwdriver marathons.
-no sugar! I've never done this before. I think it's going to make it really easy for the fat to just fall off. It's certainly not permanent, and there's no chance in hell I'll be using that aspartame/sucralose crap. vomit.
-no white bread or flour. I already do this, although occasionally I'll use white flour instead of whole wheat pastry flour when I'm trying a recipe for the first time. I'm going to try and not eat much bread or pasta at all though, and focus more on whole grains like lentils, brown rice, etc.
-no dairy. Easy peasy. the only thing I'll have to cut out is good cheese... which I'll miss, but it's not like I haven't lived without it before.
since I'm already a vegetarian, this means I'm basically reverting to my old vegan lifestyle with the addition of less flour/bread/pasta, no alcohol, and no sugar. Hellllo fresh fruits and veggies and grains and nuts that will make me feel SPECTACULAR!
so excited for this. do you have any goals for the upcoming bikini season?
So everyone knows today is 4.20, and stoners across the land are playing hookie and rejoicing in hotboxed rooms full of clouds of earthy, pungent smoke. If you're like me though and you have a quiz which requires memorizing 40 sets of names/dates/3 significant facts on thursday as well as an interest in drugs that expired around the same time you graduated high school... then you might be opting not to take part in the day's festivities. At least the burn-your-throat, cough-up-a-lung, can't-do-anything-productive ones. But that doesn't mean you can't still get high... on life! I'll hold for a groan at my corniness.
...
Alright, done? ok.
I won't take credit for this idea... I was actually inspired by it because when I was a wee 15 year old sophomore in high school, two of the seniors in my drama class came in on April 20th wearing tee shirts with all kinds of activities puff-painted on to them along with the words "high on life". I don't really remember what the activities they had come up with were, although I do know one of them went out and got a tattoo. Anyways, I thought it was a really cool idea! You can have fun and get amaaaazing adrenaline/endorphin highs without touching the green stuff- so if you've got too much to do/prepare for today or you just plain aren't interested in going the drug route, set aside time for one or two of these activities so you can still say you got high today ;)
1. Can you handle spice? Some people hate the slightest hint of heat (it's genetic), but others can't get enough. If you can handle spicy food without proclaiming it inedible, up the ante today and cook/order some food thats got a real kick. I use jalapenos like they're going out of style, and I'm also no stranger to dried chilis such as arbols, anchos, guajillo, new mexican chili pods, etc... but I'd love to add some fresh habaneros (40X hotter than a jalapeno!) to that mix. Spicy food ups your metabolism and acts as a stimulant, so it not only helps you burn more calories, it feels awesome because it sharpens your senses and has an 'awakening' effect!
2. Is it April Showering where you are today? Playing in the rain was SO MUCH FUN as kids, wasn't it? I see no reason why it can't still be. Ditch the umbrella and go outside and enjoy the rain! Dance around, splash in puddles, recreate this iconic scene:
3. If it's dryer out, pack a lunch and go to the nearest swimming hole. The water's bound to be freezing, but jumping in will make all your nerves buzz! Don't think about it, just do it.
4. If spicy food isn't your thing, try doing a fast. If you've never fasted before you could do a raw foods fast (just fresh fruits and vegetables) or a juice fast (pure fresh fruit and veggie juice... none of that corn syrup 5% real juice crap), or if you're a fasting pro you could do a water fast. Your body will feel so clean and fresh and alive at the end of the day!
5. Get a tattoo. If you've been thinking about it for a while and you've just been putting it off, get it today! I don't have any tats because I'm not entirely sure I want any, but if you've made the decision and just haven't gone for it... today's just as good as any.
6. If you decided to go swimming today (#3) and you're feeling extra brave and crazy, go skinny dipping! just make sure you're in a secluded area where no one you wouldn't want to see could.
7. Cut class or take the day off from work. If you hardly ever do this, it'll be exciting to be off doing something fun when everyone else is hard at work. Although, you might run the risk of your coworkers/professors/fellow students assuming you ditched in order to get high on something other than life ;)
8. Find a cliff. Sit on the edge. Check out the stellar view.
9. Have you ever had pure espresso before? It's not for everyone (and if you don't like the taste of normal coffee, forget about it), but it'll give you a buzz that you can't get from your regular cup of joe. And it's so fancy, in that tiny little cup!
10. Buy something absolutely sinful at your local patisserie/cupcakery/chocolate shop. A square of fudge or a little box of truffles or a decadent fruit tart or a cream cheese frosting laden cake. Eat it and don't feel guilty, not for a second.
11. Fish about 5 pennies out of your change jar, go to the nearest fountain or coin pond, and make a wish for each one.
12. Doing good deeds can be a great way to make yourself feel wonderful. My favorite method as of late has been putting spare change in people's expired parking meters, or leaving some extra time in mine. Spend 25 cents, save someone 25 dollars. And honestly, how great does it feel when you snag a spot and find that you already have 30 minutes paid for? I'll tell you how great it feels. It feels freaking excellent.
13. Exercise. I can't express enough just how great sweating gallons and getting your heart pumping to the speed of sound feels. If you can get over the whole "but exercise is boring and i'm tired and i don't want to and it will hurt" thing, do it, if only for 30 minutes. You will feel awesome.
14. Find an open mic. Do something. Stage fright is scary, but performing is exhilarating and I promise you that the minute that spotlight blinds you you will feel nothing but adrenaline and excitement.
15. Sit in a very hot, very still, very silent hot tub/bath. It is both relaxing and stimulating. You will feel so clear-headed once you're done.
16. Drink a pot of jasmine tea. It's delicious and it will give you a gentler, more serene buzz than a pot of coffee.
17. Get a haircut. This might not sound like a very exciting activity, but revamping your style and uncovering a whole new look can have a big impact on how you feel about yourself!
18. Same goes for furniture. Rearrange everything in your room/house, if only just for today. You'll feel like you're living in a whole different house.
19. Go out dancing! Maybe bars and clubs aren't your usual scene, but it can be fun to get dressed up and go out every once and a while to shake your thang. lol. Dancing is sooo exhilarating and your adrenaline will be racing for hours after you've finished.
20. Stay up all night. This might not be practical so don't do it unless you don't have much of anything to do on Thursday, and definitely don't make a practice of it... but staying up all night makes you go right up to the brink of sleepiness and then surpass it. I've heard of people who drink Nyquill and then don't let themselves fall asleep... this is the same thing, but without the Nyquill (I do NOT recommend using it for anything but it's original purpose). The few times I've stayed up all night, I find that surprisingly when the sun rises I no longer feel sleepy but energetic and buzzed and excited for the day.
21. Do something that isn't like you at all. Only once can't hurt! For example, if you never drink, buy one of those mini airplane bottles of tequila and take a shot, complete with lime and salt. If you hate sports, go to the park and give shooting hoops a try (by yourself, if you're terrified of looking like an idiot like me^^). If you're a die-hard carnivore, look up a vegetarian recipe and try your hand at it. If you hardly ever go anywhere other than work-home-school, look up a tourist information site about your town and check out some of the sites or great restaurants you never bother to go to. If you're always with friends or family, make everyone go out and do something else for the night and take over the house. Blast your favorite music, cook/order your favorite food, walk around naked, whatever just do something that you never get to do/would think to do. you might just realize you really enjoy it!
22. Go to the zoo. Honestly, if you don't have kids, how often do you actually think to go to the zoo? The zoo is super cheap usually and it can be a ton of fun.
23. Go to a concert, any concert, and dance like it's the best music you've ever heard. mosh pits aren't for everyone but if you think you can handle it they will definitely get your heart and adrenaline racing!
24. Do something you've been thinking about doing. Have you been playing with the idea of starting a blog? today's your day- just do it! How about quitting your job, reupholstering a chair, starting to draw, going for runs? Don't put it off any longer, make today the first day of the rest of your life.
25. Tell someone what you think. If you've got feelings and emotions bubbling below the surface that you've been trying to keep hidden, let them go today! Don't be rude of course, but get whatever's on your chest the hell off of it. You will feel so light and free.
26. Go out to an abandoned stretch of road, where it is highly unlikely that there will be cops, pedestrians, or other cars. Roll down your windows. Turn up your music. Drive, fast.
27. Stand on your head. This might sound silly, but the blood rushing to your head is an intense feeling, especially when you right yourself again! If you need to, lean up against a wall while you do it and see how long you can hold the position.
28. Find the nearest sauna. A lot of gyms have them, and they will usually give you a day pass for a few bucks. Sit in the heat and enjoy the wonderful feeling of sweating out all your toxins.
29. Buy yourself something pretty, just because you want it. Don't think about the money for just today. Money can be made. Impulse buys are usually not a good thing, but you deserve to treat yourself every once in a while! Don't feel guilty about it. Don't overthink it. Just do it, and enjoy it, and feel great about it!
30. Start composing a bucket list- a list of all the things you would like to do/accomplish in your life. Then see if you can cross one or two things off today!
Whew! hopefully those 30 things will keep you busy and off the dope for today ;) haha. what kinds of things do you do to get your adrenaline racing?
Hello lovelies, welcome to a brand new feature here on GO1000F. Tasty Tuesdays! I'm just killing you with the day-o-the-week alliteration, aren't I?
tasty tuesday are going to be a blast, oh yes they are! I'm very excited about them and you should be too because they're all about one of the best thing on the planet- food! Every tuesday I will be posting something fun and food related. I used to do recipes all the time on this blog (just click the recipe box icon on the right and you will see what I mean!), so there will be plenty more of those, but you might also find a restaurant review (I'll try to review restaurants outside of arizona as well so that you all can find some closer to you), a product review, a list of my go-to recipes, or something I've decided to title the InterKitcheNet, which will be made up of themed lists of recipes around the internet that I've been gawking over the past week. Are you pumped yet? I know I am.
Since I'm all in the spirit of spring, today's InterKitcheNet is all about spring time recipes! pastel colored treats and herby quiches and lemony cocktails have been flooding the internet and my google reader for days now, and they are all soo drool-worthy. I urge you to check these out! Just click on the title above each picture :)
The Food In My Beard's Grilled Veggie Pasta Primavera. Pasta Primavera literally means Spring Pasta... so how could it not make this list? Grilling the veggies is a wonderful spring-weather technique that I've got to try. I bet it's so smoky and delicious!
All Day I Dream About Food' Meyer Lemon Mousse. I'm utterly obsessed with lemons... but I usually don't go for them in sweets. Lemon cakes, cookies, even bars... they all get a resounding 'meh'. This though... I think I could definitely go for one of these. or maybe 5. By the way? If anyone would like to mail me a box of meyer lemons, I will award you unlimited awesomeness points.
Joylicious' Grilled Red Fish and Shrimp Ceviche. I haven't had ceviche since I was little (with the exception of one bite while I was in mexico last winter), but I can vouch for it being delicious. If you can wrap your mind around the whole citrus-and-salt-cooking-raw-fish-in-your-fridge thing, you should so, so make it.
Taylor Takes a Taste's Red Pepper and Pineapple Infused Vodka. This is going on my to-do list right now. I experimented with making infused vodka last holiday season and just loved the results... and seriously, red pepper flakes and pineapple are two of my favorite things on the planet. Every pizza I get has pineapple and something spicy like jalapenos or green chilis... so I really can't imagine this not being amazing.
Happy spring food-gawking and cooking! Have a very tasty tuesday ;)
eek! It was 11:59 and all of a sudden I realized that I had totally forgotten to post a movie monday! I'm going to just squeeze this in during the early Tuesday morning hours, ok? I won't tell if you won't ;)
I decided to pick this movie literally at the last minute. Like, I had my browser open and was typing "movie mondays" into the blog title box with the intent to post about an entirely different movie, and all of a sudden this just came to me. I figure it must be a sign.
I watched this for the first time last year, but interestingly enough both of my professors in my 2 media arts classes this semester selected it for one of the weekly screenings. I just love when I get to watch films I actually enjoy that have an academic purpose! Like I've said a million times before, best major ever.
The film is "Dr. Horrible's Sing Along Blog", and it's in quotes because it's not actually a feature film, it's a series of three 15 minute webisodes that comprise one 45 minute piece of epicness. be warned, it's (like most of the movies I talk about) not for everyone.
There are a number of reasons why I like this film, and I think it would be most productive to just go ahead and list them.
1. Created, written, and directed by Joss Whedon. Joss also created Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, and Dollhouse (among many other things). I am an avid fan of every single one of those.
2. Stars Neil Patrick Harris. I love this sensitive-tough singer-actor-director man.
3. Also stars Nathan Fillion, star of Firefly and Serenity as well as Castle, another show I've professed my love for on this blog.
4. It's a musical. I don't talk about it much on here because it's mostly a part of my personality that's faded with time, but I have a soft spot for musicals. I just love 'em, and I know way too much about them.
5. It's freaking hilarious. The writing is superb, the comedic timing is excellent.. it just really makes you laugh.
the only gripe I have with Dr Horrible is that the actual musical numbers are a bit subpar. I think that it is an intended mockery of itself, so that works... but being a musical fan, the simple melodies and cliche arrangements made me cringe a bit. If you can get past that though, this is truly gold.
Since it was originally in webisode form, the film has aspects similar to your everyday video blog. Dr. Horrible (NPH) is an aspiring villain attempting to be initiated into the evil league of evil, no help to his nemesis Captain Hammer (Nathan Fillion). Dr Horrible speaks of all this- as well as his love for the sweet charity-working Penny- on his video blog. Of course, Penny doesn't know that Dr. Horrible is, well, Dr Horrible... she only knows him as Billy- the shy, normal guy who does laundry on the same days as her.
In order to join the evil league of evil, Dr Horrible must commit an undoubtedly evil act for all the public to see. His several attempts are thwarted by the annoying and extremely chauvinistic Captain Hammer, who, in an attempt to injure Dr Horrible where it hurts the most, ends up seducing Penny for himself. The film concludes with Dr. Horrible's final attempt to commit an evil act by killing Captain Hammer and finally winning Penny over. And I won't tell you the ending, because I've already said too much. Just watch it, ok? Tell me you'll watch it. You don't have to like it, but you probably will at least laugh a few times.
As you might have guessed with the whole 'came-out-in-webisodes' thing, this is aimed towards youth culture. Probably college/young adult age. So if you're in that age group, you're way more likely to enjoy it, but that's not to say anyone else couldn't too :)
I'm usually not too crazy about spring... probably because in Prescott the weather is often temperamental... going from sunny and 70 degrees to can't-walk-straight-windy to 10 inches of snow within a few days of each other. This year though, I've got a bit of spring fever. Every day has been gloriously warm and sunny, flowers are sprouting up everywhere, the trees are turning green... and I've got a hankering to start cleaning everything in my apartment in preparation to move out and start my exciting summer.
All this springyness has been spreading across the internet too, and it's gotten me so excited for springtime and the summer months that follow! In fact, it has compelled me to create this list of reasons why springtime is awesome. It's not the BEST season, like autumn, but it's still pretty swell in its own right.
Reasons to Love Springtime
1. Flowers starting to push up from beneath the soil... especially tulips.
2. Flirty, frilly, pastel spring dresses
3. Japanese Cherry Blossoms
4. That stretch of barren winter trees now has a tinge of lovely soft green
5. spring cleaning! time to clear out all the winter dust and clutter and get ready for the summer
6. chilled sweet pitchers of cocktails in pretty soft colors
7. porch breakfasts, potluck brunches, afternoon teas, twilight dinners with dear friends and family
8. Lemons and fresh herbs showing up in all the recipes across the net
9. Walks through the park or downtown, preferably with dear friends and furry loved ones
10. Celebrations like Easter and spring birthdays (I've got one^^) that call for pretty things and outdoor fun.
11. Long hikes in the cool spring mornings
12. Planning summer daytrips, excursions, parties, and all the fun to come
13. Picnic lunches
14. The end of another year of school, or at least another winter.
15. warm breezes that seem to breathe new life into the world
happy springtime everyone. what's your favorite thing about this season?
so... when you hit the "stumble upon" button, it's not supposed to show you stuff you've already said you like or don't like, right? and yet while I was stumbling today I was brought back to a page that I stumbled on just a couple months ago and loved. in fact, i think I had been planning on blogging about it but just forgot! The page is a list of 50 life secrets and tips and there are some really good ones on there. You should definitely check it out if you haven't already seen it.
here are a few of my favorites:
1. don't take life so seriously
2. sleep less- I definitely need to start working on this one! I'd love to be one of those 5 hr a night sleepers (who actually feel rested!)
3. visualize daily
4. meditate
5. be the kind of person that makes others feel special
6. read something inspirational right before you go to bed and right after you wake up
7. do what you love
there are tons of great tips and explanations on the site to help live your live fully, happily, and productively! check it out, it's definitely worth a read.
Tucson weather has been swell, and I've got a couple hours a few days a week where I'm in between classes and don't want to go all the way home and back. So, I hang out on the grass in the lovely sunlight and read. I borrowed Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar from my mom a couple weeks ago and just finished it. It's quite a heavy book, but I thought it was an excellent read. It perked my interest in Sylvia Plath and now I want to go out and find her books of poetry. Although her life was depressing and morbid at times, I think she's really brilliant at expressing raw emotion and stringing words together to create something beautiful. Now that I'm finished with this book, I'm going to start reading The Art of Racing in the Rain, another book I borrowed from my mom. Have you guys read it? I've heard spectacular things about it.
mandy over at Smiles Awake You literally just did this, and now I'm hopping on board. Feel free to follow me on bloglovin if that's how you do your blog readin' :)
so, i just realized that yesterday I posted a whole thing about how I have no motivation and then this morning I posted motivation tips. Hah! The latter was scheduled so I kind of just forgot when it was going to be posted... but still. ridiculous.
anyways, i've got food on my mind- even more than it usually is! I know i keep slipping it in here and there that I'm nervous/excited for this summer, but I've avoided really saying why. Now that the time is getting closer though, I'm gonna lay it out for you all :)
Every summer in mid-july my sis and I attend a sufi youth retreat for ages 16-29. It's 5 days long and always a total blast, and for the most part it's run by the youths that attend it. This year, my sis and I have picked up the baton from the wonderful people who have been leading things the last few years. Jenny has the real big job of being co-camp director and spiritual leader, while I have the less-crazy job of being head chef.
It's seriously a dream come true- I've been going to this camp and the family camp the follows it since I was 3 years old and the food is always one of the best things about it. Wholesome, organic, diverse, delicious. Cooking is one of my favorite things to do, especially when it's for other people... and the idea of getting paid for it suits me real nice! haha.
At the same time though, terrifying! I've helped cook at these camps before, but going from that to being head chef is a huge step to take. Luckily I've worked in restaurants and I've trained people so working in a high-pressure environment and having to tell people what to do shouldn't be too difficult. I've also already begun working on and testing out recipes- something my boyfriend has been very appreciative of while my bank account has not :) The thing that really terrifies me is the execution- I'm going to be heading to the camp literally hours after touching down in San Francisco from Greece. I'm depending on Stewart and a couple other people to transport a lot of the food to the campsite. I don't have the time or the money to make the volumes of these dishes that will be used at the camp ahead of time... so I'm just hoping my measurements work out. I hope everyone likes the food... I hope I don't crash and burn, basically.
Anyways, enough of that doubt! Here's the part where it gets fun for you guys... I have been revamping a lot of recipes I already cook often and that's led to some awesome discoveries. For example, last night I made a giant pan full of vegan paneer masala. It tasted just like the high-dairy high-fat version that I made on this a few months ago- only it was completely animal product free and way healthier! If you want to try it out, here are the changes to make to the recipe:
- instead of butter/ghee, use melted earth balance
- instead of making paneer, press all the water out of a block of extra firm tofu and cut it into cubes. While baking it (after it has marinaded) space the cubes out so they can brown nicely.
- use plain soy yogurt instead of regular yogurt (you can find it at whole foods and other natural food stores)
- Use plain, sugar free soymilk (on the ingredients it should just say soybeans and water. trader joes has a good kind that's only like 2 dollars a carton) instead of half and half
also, I made some sushi- yes, there is going to be sushi at camp! I'm only using veggies and smoked salmon though to avoid the whole raw fish danger. Also, there will be a vegetable sesame chow mein available for those weird people who don't like sushi. I don't want to give up all my recipes, but I will give you a kinda fun and different one that I wont be serving anyways! I wanted to make a spicy salmon roll, but I didn't have any sriracha for the spicy factor. The only hot sauce I had was tapatillo. So I ended up with a really yummy and definitely different mexican-flavored sushi roll! For instructions on how to make sushi rice/roll sushi check out my previous post here.
to make a spicy salmon roll with mexican flair, use 1-2 smoked salmon fillets. mince them until they are kind of a textured mush... but in a good way, you know? haha. mince up one clove of garlic and mix it in with the salmon. Grab some tapatillo, tobasco, cholulah, or your own favorite mexican hot sauce, and drizzle it all over the garlic/salmon mixture. use your knife to kind of chop the sauce into the salmon, until the whole thing is a brilliant red. taste and add more sauce if it isn't spicy enough. use the whole mixture to make one uber delicious sushi roll!
The spicy salmon rolls are the orange-ish ones. I also made a philly roll and a 'flagstaff' roll, which is what one of my fave local restaurants calls their vegetarian roll.
This week I've also made a fantastic vegan taco meat, vegan chili, and a couple other things... but those recipes are sticking with me for now :)
I'm sure as the april and may progress I'll have lots more fun photos and recipes to share with you guys :) Happy humpday!
Putting up a poster of some unachievable ideal is NOT one of my tips, but I just thought this picture was so cute!
I've been a bit of a gym rat recently, and it's made me think about and notice some things that can be really helpful in staying motivated. I, like most people, spent most of my years thinking of working out as an unpleasant chore... but by changing the way I work out and adjusting my mindset, it's become one of my favorite things to do! Exercising is so important to our health and it's really something we should all be doing, so if you're having trouble getting motivated, consider some of these tips!
1. Do something you enjoy. Simple, right? If going to the gym bums you out, don't go! Find a different way to get your heart pumping. Take a dance/aerobics/bootcamp/yoga class, go out for a run around your neighborhood, rent a video (there's tons out there, even obscure ones like striptease workouts!), play a sport... there are tons of ways to work out. I personally love the gym equipment and I especially love doing weights workouts, so when I don't feel like going to the gym, I just think about the weights I'll get to do and it makes me happy to go!
2. Find a comfortable environment. I like running on treadmills and ellipticals, but I hate dealing with all the macho douchey boys that seem to live at the UA gym. I'm stuck with it for now, but I made sure my next apartment complex has a fitness center so that I can work out basically at home and usually by myself. Some people like working out amongst lots of other people, but I prefer to do it alone. Do what you like best, and don't settle because if there's anything you don't like about your workout environment, you will probably later use it as a reason not to exercise.
3. Make it entertaining. If the workout itself isn't entertaining enough to distract you from being tired, find something that is. The UA gym has cable tvs attached to every treadmill, elliptical, and bicycle machine- crazy right? So I usually watch an episode of the office or it's always sunny in philadelphia or something while I'm running, and it keeps me entertained. Most people don't have that option though, so make sure to make a good playlist or bring an entertaining book (audio books are great!). If you're bored while working out, you won't enjoy it, and thus you won't want to continue with it. So make it entertaining!
4. Schedule exercising into your daily routine. think about working out as something you need to do, not just something you'll do if you have the time to get to it. Schedule an hour or two into each and every day of the week for working out. If you start looking at exercising as a part of your everyday schedule, rather than something you try to squeeze in if and when there's time, you're bound to be more apt to actually go for it.
5. Enjoy the burn. Everyone knows that exercising comes with pain... the trick is to stop thinking of it as pain and start thinking of it as progress. I've been there, on the treadmill, thinking "this totally sucks, I can't go any further". But I push myself. I tell myself, "the hell you can't. you CAN do this!" and I sweat, and my calves burn, and my heart races, and my breath quickens... but instead of hating it, I enjoy the sensation of pushing myself to that extreme. Going beyond your comfort zone means that you're learning, you're strengthening, you're progressing. Instead of hating that feeling you get when you're working all your muscles and you just want to quit, enjoy it because it means you're strong, you have willpower, and you are making you body fitter and stronger... not to mention, the feeling when you finally do let yourself quit at the end of the workout is so fricken amazing... and the longer you go without letting yourself quit, the more amazing it is.
6. Make it hard for yourself to not workout. Keep everything ready, so that there's no reason to not go out and exercise. Keep your workout clothes always folded at the side of your bed. Keep your water bottle filled and in the fridge. Make sure there's always a good playlist or movie or book on your ipod, and keep it charged. If you work out in the morning, set an alarm and don't let yourself hit the snooze button. Let everything in your life allow you to be able to work out and get rid of any possible obstacles.
7. Work out a fitness plan. Going to the gym and not knowing what that hell you are doing is one of the best excuses to leave and not come back. Educate yourself. Know how and what you want to work out and know what kind of cardio you want to do. I'm following a pretty basic self-made plan that combines cardio and weights and works out your abs, chest, back, legs, arms and shoulders. You can check it out here, but I also urge you to construct a plan that works for you. Maybe it's just me, but making plans and lists and outlines excites me... so making a workout regimen makes me doubly excited to work out.
8. Listen to your body. Yeah, this means stop running on the treadmill when you feel like you're going to pass out or throw up... but it also means don't ignore the pains or bubblings or rumblings in your belly after you eat. If I learned anything from eating vegan for a while, it's that your body will tell you what is up. This might not seem like a motivation tip, but it really, really is. Do me a favor: try to eat only fruits, veggies, whole grains, nuts, and if need be some low fat dairy and meat for a week. after this week, try eating some chips or soda or something else completely devoid of nutritional value... and listen to your body. If you are anything like me, you will not feel good. In fact, you will feel like crap... and this will hopefully make you realize that your body has something to say about this whole healthy living thing. So listen to your body, eat what it wants you to eat... because what it wants you to eat will make you a zillion times more energetic, happy, and excited to work out. Now how's that for motivation for ya?
9. Tell everyone. usually I don't advocate peer pressure, but this can be a good place where it's helpful. Tell your family, your friends, your boyfriend that you're starting this uber cool workout plan and your going to stick with it. If they know you're supposed to do it, not doing it will make you feel guilty... which usually isn't a good thing but in this case it can help you stick to keeping your goals! It can also be especially helpful to invite someone else to come along and workout with you. I prefer working out alone, but having a friend who is depending on working out with you every day is a sure-fire way to keep you going.
10. Last but not least, cut yourself some slack. No one wants to work for a hardass, so you're not going to want to work out if you're too hard on yourself. set reasonable goals for yourself and slowly set them higher as your skills improve. give yourself one or two days a week where you don't need to workout, or swap a couple workouts for fun activities like hiking or swimming. The most important tip I can give you is that working out should be FUN, so don't push it to the point that you aren't having fun anymore. This is something you're doing for YOU because you LOVE yourself... so don't turn it into a chore or a punishment. Kick your own butt, but in a nice, self-assuring way. get it? :)
Happy working out, all. If you have any work-out motivation tips of your own, be sure to put them in the comments! We (especially me) are always in search of things to keep our hearts pumping and legs working :)
I have been suffering from a serious lack of motivation recently... not in terms of this blog (i'm totally motivated when it comes to that haha), in terms of life. I turned in my last essay of the semester last week, and ever since I've had the biggest trouble convincing myself that it's necessary to go to school. or wake up. I've been staying up late and then sleeping in until like 10 or 11 every day... so not my style. I'm usually up bright and early to get started on the day! it's pretty sucky.
I blame it on the fact that I hate this apartment, and it's always a mess in one way or another because that's what happens when you live with other people. In the morning I just think about what's waiting for me when I wake up... a messy kitchen to make breakfast in, a pile of laundry in the closet, a mess of books next to my bed that I need to catch up on reading for class... and it's enough for sleepy me to convince motivated me that really, 30 more minutes can't hurt. I just don't want to get up and deal with the mess. It doesn't help that every time I do get super motivated and deep clean the apartment, it's back to square one by the end of the week. frustrating! I can't wait until next fall, when it will be just me and stew and our cute new puppy in our beautiful little apartment with the breakfast bar and the patio and the jacuzzi and the french doors. Hopefully that will be enough motivation to start getting me back up at 6 or 7.
Luckily, the fact that there are only 16 days of school left (that includes today and finals) is a nice little boost. I'm equal parts excited and terrified for summer though... it's going to be crazy busy and technically I'm going to be in school for 5 weeks of it... and then I'm going to be responsible for keeping 30 young adults happy and full of healthy delicious food. so much pressure!! anyways, i'm getting off topic...
What do you guys do when you lack motivation? any tips? I'd love to hear 'em.
I stumbled on this yesterday and I just love it. I totally want to do a social experiment like this... I have a couple ideas but nothing I've gotten off the ground yet. What do you want to do before you die?
I just watched this movie with my parents this weekend and thought it was a really creative idea- I know a lot of people have probably already seen it but I think it's worth a shoutout. Also I'm going over to hang out with some friends in a few so I don't have time to think of something else to post about ;)
There are so many good actors in this film... and they all perform stunningly. The only thing that got me was seeing Will Ferrel play this semi-dramatic everyday-man role. Also, seeing him and Maggie Gyllenhaal kiss... i do not put them in the same league (or generation, really...) at all. Other than that though, I thought everyone was very impressive.
The film is about a man named Harold, who one day begins to hear a woman's voice narrating his life as it happens. It seems no one else can hear the voice, and so of course when he sees a psychologist she tells him he's schizophrenic. Harold decides to seek the help of a professor, instead, who begins helping him try to figure out who is narrating his life and why. Essentially, Harold begins to look at his life as a book, trying to determine if he is living a tragedy or a comedy, testing his free will, etc.
Meanwhile, Emma Thompson plays a successful writer who has gotten writers block while working on her most recent novel. She is trying to figure out how to kill her main character but just can't seem to think of something that will work. She spends her days at hospitals, watching bridges, and standing on the edge of her desk for inspiration.
Of course, eventually the stories intersect and the writer faces the moral dilemma of killing a character who in fact is a real person. I won't give away the ending, but I will say that it's very interesting. definitely a worthwhile movie to watch.
In Tucson it's been 80-90 degrees out recently- which I love- although it made me excited to trip up to Prescott for a bit colder weather. Little did we know that colder weather meant several inches of snow! I couldn't have been happier about it, since I haven't gotten to experience snow in about 2 years since it didn't snow in Portland last year and I always just miss it whenever I come to Prescott. So waking up to a fresh blanket of sparkling white on Saturday morning was just what I wanted (although everyone else in Prescott was quite disgruntled with it). It was like taking a vacation to a winter wonderland- a great break to the summer like weather we've been having. Unfortunately I didn't pack for it though- only one pair of jeans, a thin cardigan, and no jacket... good thing I've got a mountain of clothing at my parents' house!
We began our trip at midnight Thursday night, because Stewie was busy doing things until then. We were planning on driving up to Phoenix that night to hang out with Stew's brother, brian, and didn't end up getting there until 2:30 in the morning! Luckily we had warned Brian of our late arrival so he was up when we got there and we ended up staying awake until 7am! It was absurd but so much fun. We slept in until about 2pm and then went to lunch at the pita jungle, which I had been wanting to try for a long time.
Excuse the mix of Nikon D40 pics and android pics. I went back and forth the whole trip. Don't Stewart and his brother look so similar though?
Anyways, we drove up to prescott that afternoon and experienced quite a weather change. It was so rainy and cloudy and dark- just the way I like it :)
We hung out with my parents for most of the night, and then moved stewarts car to his mom's so that it wouldn't get stuck in the snow that was predicted for that night. In the morning I was so happy to see 5 or six inches of it coating everything outside my window! Unfortunately snow never lasts long in prescott... by noon much of it had melted. It continued to snow on and off throughout the rest of the day, but no more than another inch stuck around.
On Saturday we started out the day with chatting with my mom for a bit, and then I decided to make eggs benedict for breakfast. I don't generally like eggs- or breakfast for that matter- but eggs benedict is one dish that I can't turn down. Blame it on the hollandaise sauce- who can refuse something so lemony, buttery, and sinfully delicious? Emphasis on sinfully. It's gotta be like 500 calories a serving! Anyways, instead of using the ham which is typical I sliced up a tomato and sauteed the thick slices in olive oil and herbs. yummy yummy. I I poached the eggs which is always interesting and made the sauce from scratch- it's less of an undertaking than most people assume so if you dig hollandaise like I do I urge you to make it! We didn't have any english muffins (or bread for that matter) so I used a couple of hamburger buns we had lying around. Ridiculous, i know! but I toasted them and you couldn't tell the difference :)
Then we went to share a pot of coconut tea at the wild iris (soo yummy) and had fun just sitting and sipping and chatting.
red lipstick marks all over my cup!
After that we tried to go to the local college, where my dad's painting had made it into the gallery. unfortunately it was closed... so we'll just have to check it out next time when it's in my house somewhere. I did manage to snap a few pics of a gorgeous cherry blossom tree with a bit of snow on it that was on the campus... so pretty.
After than we drove out to target because I've had a 50$ gift card burning a hole in my wallet for almost a year! I wanted to find boots, but they didn't have a single pair... so I opted for a really cute 20$ romper instead. I also tried on this dress, and I loved it but opted not to buy it.
After that I dropped stewie off at his moms so he could get his car and head to the party. I headed home and watched some tv with my dad, and then we made a fire in the fireplace and the three of us (my parents and myself) hung out and chatted for a while. Eventually we decided to get takeout (spinach enchiladas, nachos, and tortilla soup from casa alvarez- so yummy!) and ate in front of the fire in the living room. We then watched an episode of Harry's Law- a show my parents have been watching lately. After that I had stewart come pick me up and take me to the party, where I chatted with zillions of people and had a lot of fun. It was also incredibly sad, but a good way to send off a dear friend.
On sunday I napped for a bit in the morning after staying up the whole night, and then watched Stranger than Fiction with my mom. I had never seen it in it's entirety, so it was fun to finally watch the whole thing through! Around 2 o clock stew and I decided to head back to tucson... I slept for a lot of the way which was SUCH a nice alternative to being the one who has to drive the whole 4 hour way. We picked up some chipotle for dinner, watched a few episodes of buffy and angel, and went to sleep. All in all, it was a very busy, very exhausting, but very fun weekend. I'm looking forward to next weekend being nice and quiet with plenty of time to clean up the apartment and start packing my stuff up to head back up north.
